Confused about the "free brewed coffee" with the coffee cards?

Sorry for the dumb question, but I thought coffee & tea were free on cruises? If so, I am confused about what the "free brewed coffee" is on the coffee cards? Is the free coffee instant stuff or something? Are we able to get brewed coffee with breakfast, room service and dessert with dining? Or are they serving something else? TIA for the clarification!

The "free" coffee is made from concentrate and some people don't like it. The vast majority have no problem. With the coffee card, you get unlimited brewed coffee plus punches for specialty coffee such as espresso. The coffee card can be used only in the IC/Lobby Bar/Patisserie (depending on the ship), specialty restaurant or dining room. It cannot be used in the buffet or room service.

You will see hot water taps and tea bags at the drink stations in the HC also.

Specialty teas are pay per cup

The "free" coffee is made from concentrate and some people don't like it. The vast majority have no problem. With the coffee card, you get unlimited brewed coffee plus punches for specialty coffee such as espresso. The coffee card can be used only in the IC/Lobby Bar/Patisserie (depending on the ship), specialty restaurant or dining room. It cannot be used in the buffet or room service.

Thanks so much Pam! So does this mean we could also order specialty espresso coffees in the dining room & specialty restaurants?

I'm not a coffee aficionado but I do like a cup of coffee in the morning and after my dinner. I must tell you that the coffee that comes in the carafe with room service and is served after my meal in the MDR is just fine.

I have no complaints about it. As I said I'm no coffee snob but I find myself drinking what the ship is offering and I haven't grown a third eye yet! :eek:

Thanks so much Pam! So does this mean we could also order specialty espresso coffees in the dining room & specialty restaurants?

I'm not a coffee aficionado but I do like a cup of coffee in the morning and after my dinner. I must tell you that the coffee that comes in the carafe with room service and is served after my meal in the MDR is just fine.

 

I have no complaints about it. As I said I'm no coffee snob but I find myself drinking what the ship is offering and I haven't grown a third eye yet! :eek:

HA! Thanks Wizard! I think that I am going to at least give the regular coffee a chance. Usually if I put enough half & half in it, I can cover up a lot! I am the same, a coffee in the morning with breakfast and if I plan on staying up, maybe with dessert, so I think I can get by for 7 days without going through withdrawals. Worst case, I will switch to bloody marys with my breakfast in the morning if I really hate it. :p

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You will see hot water taps and tea bags at the drink stations in the HC also.

 

Specialty teas are pay per cup

Actually there are many good quality speciality teabags such as Earl Grey, Oolong, Darjeeling, English Breakfast, etc in the Horizon Court buffet 24 hours a day. Available free of charge. Self Service.

In the International Café on Deck 5 in some ships there are premium specialty organic teas available to be served to you, these are chargeable at around $1.50 or so unless you have a card which gives you them free.

This includes a Coffee Card used for the first time on the current voyage if it has the current voyage written on the back of it, or at least doesn't have a different previous voyage written on the back of it.

Sounds complex but it really isn't. And many barristas don't care anyway as long as you are nice to them and flash a card.

HA! Thanks Wizard! I think that I am going to at least give the regular coffee a chance. Usually if I put enough half & half in it, I can cover up a lot! I am the same, a coffee in the morning with breakfast and if I plan on staying up, maybe with dessert, so I think I can get by for 7 days without going through withdrawals. Worst case, I will switch to bloody marys with my breakfast in the morning if I really hate it. :p

That's what we like......bravery! ;)

HA! Thanks Wizard! I think that I am going to at least give the regular coffee a chance. Usually if I put enough half & half in it, I can cover up a lot! I am the same, a coffee in the morning with breakfast and if I plan on staying up, maybe with dessert, so I think I can get by for 7 days without going through withdrawals. Worst case, I will switch to bloody marys with my breakfast in the morning if I really hate it. :p

Medical Center is on Deck 4 midships in case you need it!

I actually do not dislike the awful coffee from concentrate but then I make very strong coffee at home - by American standards anyway, using huge quantities of Pilon or Bustelo in a French Press.

The specialty coffee is also available at the pastry shop at the Horizon Court on Royal and Regal. :D

Someone in the currently active "Afternoon Tea" said that the coffee served there (for free) is the fresh brewed coffee. Can anyone else confirm this? I never made it to tea on my last cruise.

So does this mean we could also order specialty espresso coffees in the dining room & specialty restaurants?

Yes. If you have a coffee card, it will be punched. If you do not have a coffee card, you will be charged.

I too add enough other things to my morning coffee so that it doesn't matter if it isn't 'fresh brewed.'

I do like to have an occasional mocha so I carry around a card. It will be going on its fourth cruise this winter. I only get one every couple of days or so.

So, if you like to have that occasional special drink but do not use all your punches up during your cruise, hold onto it. The punches are good for as many cruises as it takes to get your 15 drinks. Don't throw it away or give it away!

Hope you have a great cruise!

Just to clarify a little.

For the Grand Class ships we have been on the free coffee in the buffet is prepared using machines that mix hot water with a liquid coffee concentrate. This is similar to what is served at Burger King and many restaurants. The waiters draw this coffee into coffee pitchers and serve it at your table. You can also get it yourself.

Now, on the Royal, and I assume on the Regal, the machines that provide the free coffee in the buffet and on the Horizon Terrace prepare coffee from an actual fine ground, maybe instant, coffee which is in a dispenser on the top of the machine. When you take coffee from that machine the powder mixes with the hot water internally. I found its taste fine, thought it was a little better that the liquid concentrate method, but not as good as the brewed drip coffee served at the various coffee bars around the ship. These free coffee stations also have a selection of free tea bags and on the Royal hot chocolate.

With the coffee card you can get unlimited free brewed coffee for the cruise and unlimited Mighty Leaf teas either by the cup or in a tea pot at any of the coffee bar(s). Am not certain if tea pots are available at all coffee bars.

Yes. :) My sister loves the decaf cappuccino and she orders it after dinner in the dining room.

LOL decaf cappuccino is a bit of a oxymoron like non-alcoholic beer :)

Yup I have had a nice after dinner specialty coffee many times in the main DR.

Medical Center is on Deck 4 midships in case you need it!

 

I actually do not dislike the awful coffee from concentrate but then I make very strong coffee at home - by American standards anyway, using huge quantities of Pilon or Bustelo in a French Press.

I've often thought of bringing my camping french press and water kettle on a cruise but never have.

Specialty teas are pay per cup

There are exotic teas at the IC. However, there is a selection of good teas in the Horizon Court...English breakfast, Earl grey, Darjeeling, & various herbals.

What is the "free" brand of tea?

What is the "free" brand of tea?

There is Liptons, Bigelows and Twinings.

The Liptons is a cheap but drinkable everyday tea

The Bigelows is whatI have found most of the specialty ones are branded, a decent teabag in a sealed pack

The Twinings is what they have if they run out of Bigelows, packaged similarly, and to my taste is the best brand, but only a little better than Bigelows.

The specialty coffee is also available at the pastry shop at the Horizon Court on Royal and Regal. :D

+1, they have a specialty coffee area setup on the Regal however it doesn't open until 630 or 7? If you wake earlier you have to go down to the IC and then back up for breakfast. The good thing is that's about the only time of day an elevator is easy to catch :p

I've often thought of bringing my camping french press and water kettle on a cruise but never have.

Believe me, I thought about bringing our travel Keurig, but I heard that Keurigs have been seen in the "no-no" room at boarding along with the travel irons, so I guess it is a no on that one! :rolleyes:

The premium tea for sale at the IC is Mighty Leaf Tea from San Rafel, CA. I bring my own Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical on the ship. ML Tea can be ordered online at MLT.com and they have tea pouches as well as loose teas. The current cost for a box of 100 tea bags is about $57.00.

If your coffee maker brews and then shuts off automatically with no hot plate to keep it warm you may bring it on a Princess ship.